THE TRIAL
by Brunchfordinner
Summary: A short scene where Margaery Tyrell is at trial for her secret affair with her former handmaiden, Rosamund Payne.


**THE TRIAL** by allyzona

 _just read n it will make sense..probs_

A chandelier hung from the high ceiling of the chamber, casting a flicking glow over the dimly lit room. Shadows danced along the walls and chairs, every movement made picked up by these twirling coryphees. Margaery Tyrell traipsed into the chamber, followed by two guards in crimson cloaks. They showed her to a booth in the center, where she settled onto the cold wooden stool inside of it. In front of her were her scrutinizers, a council made of ten Sparrows, with the Highest one in the center. An audience sat behind them, consisting of Cersei Lannister, Tommen, her grandmother, Garlen Tyrell, Lollys Stokeworth, Megga, Alla, and Elinor, Alysanne Bulwer, and Taena Merryweather. Margaery made a mental note of each of them as we walked past, though she did not dare show her face to Olenna.

The High Sparrow stood up with a creak of his chair which echoed through the vast room. "Queen Margaery, you are at a trial of faith for giving false testimony in front of the gods at the trial of Ser Loras Tyrell, as well as unethical fornication, and encouraging treasonous behavior as additional charges."

Margaery's stomached dropped to the floor.

"The first charge is one that can be forgiven by the gods. However, the second and following ones are not."

Cersei Lannister could barely contain her smirk. Margaery stared at her before looking to her grandmother for help. Olenna was gazing back at her, head slightly tilted, eyebrows raised.

The High Sparrow continued. "There have been reports of you having, what one might call, unlawful relations with one of your former handmaidens. One who is now under the service of Cersei Lannister."

The walls appeared to shift up and down. The floor was spinning. Malaise crept up Margaery's spine and she felt very hot. But she had to remember to stay calm, at least on the outside. "I have not an idea of what you are talking about." She looked at Megga and Alla. Their mouths were hanging open, while Elinor frowned, watching curiously.

"You heard me correctly Your Grace," he turned to face the audience. I now call the first witness up. King Tommen Baratheon."'

Margaery gaped at him. Tommen looked at her sheepishly as he rose from his chair. His eyes were watering. Cersei could not contain her glee, Margaery could tell. "Tommen, please tell the council what you witnessed," the High Sparrow said.

"Um," his voice was scratchy and shallow. "Well, um, one night, I-," he looked at his mother, who nodded for him to continue. "Well, one night I woke up because I was cold, and-and I felt for Lady Margaery, but she was not there. So I turned over and looked, but nothing. So I got up and looked for her further. She was not on the chamberpot or anything. Then I left my room and started wandering around looking for her. I was very worried. Especially with the recent events."

"Then what did you see, Tommen?" the High Sparrow led.

Tommen frowned and looked to the floor.

"You can tell him, my sweet," urged Cersei.

Reassured by his mother, Tommen continued. "After about five minutes, when I was about to go back to my room, that's-that's when I saw her. She was coming out of one of her handmaiden's chamber. As she was about to turn away, the other girl pulled her back in through the door. They both looked very happy.

"I was confused, but I did not want Lady Margaery to know I was there so I went back to my room. I lied in bed awake, but it was about an hour later when Lady Margaery came back."

"Can anyone corroborate what you say?"

Tommen nodded. "Ser Manden Moore was escorting me. He saw as well."

"Who was this handmaiden?"

"I don't know her name. But I've seen her a lot with Lady Margaery."

"The gods appreciate your honesty King Tommen." The High Sparrow nodded, and one of the lesser sparrows escorted him back to his seat next to his mother. Cersei rubbed his leg. "Well done my sweet," she whispered.

Tommen glanced at Margaery, but he could not hold her gaze for long. He stared down at his feet.

"I call the next witness," the High Sparrow spoke. "Cersei Lannister please join me on the stand."

"Cersei, please tell the council about a certain one of your handmaidens."

The wrench spoke as if there were a sour lemon in her mouth. "Yes. She was formerly in the service of Queen Margaery, but I ordered her to come and serve me."

"And why did you do that?"

"I suspected there was something...vile in their relationship together. I wanted to save them both from something like this happening," she gestured to the court.

"How did this handmaiden behave when she was serving you?"

"She was quite good, but there was something distant about her, like she would rather be somewhere else. Sometimes I would have to call her name multiple times before I would get her attention. And-," Cersei paused, attempting to look conflicted. "There's one more thing… I-I shouldn't say."

"Speak," the High Sparrow urged, "if it is relevant to the gods."

Cersei nodded tentatively. "Sometimes, when she was dressing me, she would try to feel me, my chest, and my hips. It made me feel very sick and very uncomfortable. I speculated that there was something...unnatural about her."

"YOU BITCH!"

The whole crowed snapped their eyes to Margaery, who had leapt up from her stool, two hands like springs on the wooden booth in front of her. Her eyes were fuming with rage. Two sparrows had stepped forwards, to be security if needed. Olenna frowned at her, slightly shaking her head. Loras had let his emotions get to him, now even Margaery was. Something was not right.

"Queen Margaery," the High Sparrow said calmly, "The gods wish that everyone would remain collected and maintain the correct demeanor during this formal trial. If you are not able to manage yourself you will be asked to leave."

Chest rising and falling, Margaery, glared at Cersei as she sat back down.

"Is there anything else you would like to tell the gods, Cersei?" the High Sparrow asked. Cersei shook her head. "Then you may leave the stand."

The old man nodded to his foot-washing followers. "Bring her in."

The two big doors creaked open, and a young, dark-haired girl with brown eyes and pointy eyebrows stumbled in. She was barefoot, her hair down and tangled, and she wore a greenish brown sack as a dress. Her eyes were on the floor, as she placed one foot in front of the other. Margary's heart fell to the hard stone as she drew closer. Her arms were yellow and bruised, her face was covered with dirt, and she had a blue-black circle around her eye. Bloody scratches ran down her legs and neck. The only time she looked up was to sit in the opposite stand where she was instructed to sit. Despite all this, to Margaery, she was still as beautiful as she had ever been.

"Queen Margaery," the High Sparrow addressed. "Can you tell the council who this is?" The girl peered up at her, into her eyes. Margaery looked back. The girl's eyes were red; some of the brown iris seemed to have faded. Her skin was gray and gaunt.

"Queen Margaery," the High Sparrow was firmer this time. "Tell the council who this is."

Margaery's throat was cracked. "Lady Rosalin Payne," she managed to fumble out.

"How do you know her?"

She bit her lip. "She was my handmaiden."

"Anything else?"

Margaery did not say anything. She never took her eyes off Rosie, who did the same.

"Anything else?"

The Queen did not respond.

"Queen Margaery," he was almost shouting this time. "Was there anything going on between yourself and Lady Rosalin?"

Rosie suddenly whipped her head away from Margaery and stood up. "I would like to confess!"

"No!" Margaery gasped.

Rosie did not acknowledge her. "Go on," the High Sparrow prompted.

"It's my entire fault," Rosie said. "I-I led Margaery on, I tempted her, forced her, to lay with me. She-" some of her firmness was faltering. "She didn't want to, but I made her. I told her that if she didn't pleasure me I would tell the King about us. She was reluctant. It's all my fault, I swear it to the Seven!"

"Rosie, stop," Margaery whispered. "There's no point."

Rosie turned to Margaery, tears in her eyes. "Please, don't do anything to her, I swear, take me instead. It-,"

"That's enough now," the High Sparrow cut her off. "According to this testimony, Queen Margaery is innocent, and Lady Rosalin Payne is guilty," he gestured to Margaery. "Do you have anything to say to this?"

Margaery looked at her grandmother, who had a faint smile, at Cersei, who was failing to look concerned, at Tommen, who looked shocked, at Elinor Tyrell, who looked like she knew it all along, at the rest of her handmaidens, who were looking at Rosie with disgust. She took a deep breath and stood up. All was lost. _Valar morgoulis._

"She's lying. I was the one who first touched her. She kept telling me that we were going to get caught, that someone was going to walk in, but I did not listen. We lay together that night, it was the best I have ever had, better than any man. For Rosie as well. I would sneak to her room at night and we would lay more. Before and after I married Tommen. She could have told on me, exposed me. But she didn't. She loved me, and I loved her too. I still do. But I could not forget my own ambitions. When she went to serve Cersei, she offered to try and get knowledge about her for me, and I accepted. Sometime we kissed in the garden, sometimes during feasts we would sneak off to a dark corner. I told her everything, and her the same to me," she turned to Tommen.

"Dear sweet, sweet, Tommen. You are the sweetest king there has been. But I manipulated you, and I'm sorry. I never loved you the way I love Rosie, and believe me I tried," she turned back to Rosie. "I love you so much," she whispered. "I confess, of having unlawful relations, or perjury, or treason, or whichever. Gods take me to a place where me and my love can be together forever."

The crowd erupted. Rosie leapt up and sprinted over to Margaery, tears flying from her eyes. They embraced. Time slowed down. The handmaidens were shouting at each other, Olenna was shouting at Cersei, Lollys seemed to be shouting at herself. Tommen was hunched over in his chair, head in his hands. Four sparrows were rushing over to them; the others were trying to maintain control.

Rosie looked up at Margaery. "I am yours," she whispered, "and you are mine. And if we die, we die. For all men must die but-"

Margaery kissed her. It only lasted for a moment before they were dragged apart by the sparrows. The High Sparrow cocked an eyebrow. "This trial is concluded."


End file.
